A Perfect Pairing

For a young guy from Lake Placid, Grant Reynolds has impressive wine credentials. He began his career at acclaimed Colorado restaurant, Frasca Food and Wine, before working his way through a harvest season at Domaine Dujac and staging at Noma. By the time he landed his current role at Charlie Bird, he was already a certified Master Sommelier at the ripe, old age of 24. Our praise of Grant is also a little biased—the wine list at Charlie Bird is one of our all-time favorites. With this in mind, we recruited him to suggest pairings for some of our best items of the season. As anticipated, his selections did not disappoint.

1) Osetra caviarPairing: Savart L'Accomplie NVWhy he picked it: “Nothing new here... A leaner, brighter style of Champagne should always be served with great caviar.”Where to get it: Grand Cru Selectionshttp://www.grandcruselectionswine.com/

2) Ultra baby chicory mix, County Line HarvestPairing: Ronco del Gnemiz Friulano San Zuan 2013Why he picked it: “A safe and common play, when thinking of food and wine pairings, is to match a region’s ingredients with its wines. Friuli is the homeland of bitter greens. The bitter, almond-like flavor of their whites is the essential match. “Where to Get It: Vignaioli Selectionhttp://www.vignaioliamerica.com/

4) Matsutake MushroomsPairing: Domaine Olivier Merlin Macon La Roche Vineuse 2013Why he picked it: “Wines from the Macon offer great value while still maintaining the texture and complexity of white burgundy. The earthiness of the mushrooms plays off the salty, nutty, freshly acidic nature of these wines.”Where to Get It: Grand Cru Selectionshttp://www.grandcruselectionswine.com

5) QuincePairing: Caves Sao Joao Beiras Poco do Lobo 1995Why he picked it: “Weird wine and weird food. As it has aged, this white has gotten very honeyed and waxy. It is aromatic enough to play with quince. It has enough acid to match that of the fruit. It's also versatile with other flavors, assuming that you're not munching on the quince on its own. “Where to get it: Skurnik Wine & Spiritshttp://www.skurnik.com/

6) 68% Dark Chocolate, Tcho ChocolatePairing: Kiralyudvar Cuvee Ilona Tokaji 2008Why he picked it: “Rather than port or a fortified wine, Tokaji is also a good match with chocolate. It is floral, honeyed, and refreshing at the end of a meal.”Where to Get It: Polanerhttp://www.polanerselections.com/